Lugia Concept Picture

Lugia is a creature shrouded by myth and legend in the Johto region. Considered one of their ‘legendary’ Pokémon, the Johtoans treat it with great reverence and fear, being that it is a species of fantastical power.

Very few Lugia have ever been viewed, and the only reason scientists have ever been close to one is due to the great body of an elderly male that washed ashore on the beaches of Cianwood city in the early 1930’s. The body, though mangled, was put back into the sea after examination as a sign of respect to the fallen giant.

The Pokémon itself is a giant, deep sea dwelling creature, with aspects of dragons, aquatic lizards and birds, its skin is a pale grey with white highlights and blue markings. It also has iridescent scales that shimmer when swimming, alluding to the ability to blend in with the water as it hunts. Though unconfirmed for its authenticity, trainers that have travelled around or near the Whirlpool islands claim that the deep, whale-like noises of the Lugia are often followed by a great shimmering white ghost travelling just out of view underneath their ship or boat. The Pokémon have a long, wyvern appearance, with a vast wingspan that almost (and unnervingly) resembles human hands. The beast has an incredibly tough, sinewy muscle system that allows it to not only travel above land, but withstand the crushing pressure of the ocean floor.

Scientists have gathered that the Pokémon could swim in a number of methods. The first being that it clasps its wings close to its body and swims almost like an alligator, moving its tail to propel itself and using its head for navigation. The second and agreed more likely is that it spreads its gargantuan wings out flat on either side of its body and ‘sails’ using the undersea currents of the ocean floor. Being that Lugia as a species has never been seen out of the whirlpool islands, or the neighbouring oceans, it is likely that they have evolved over time to use the incredibly strong currents around their home. Their wings are phenomenally strong, despite their thin appearance. It is assumed that whilst in flight, they are capable of not only extreme speeds, but also graceful elegance and superb manoeuvrability, given that it is considered a legendary ‘bird’; it is no surprise that this would be the case.

The creature also has long set of slashing talons on either foot, suggesting aerial combat along with undersea. It also has a ‘beak’ shaped face, hard bone making up a large part of its mouth, but strangely, teeth being found within. The Pokémon has been suggested to be omnivorous, a diet of Pokémon and ocean fauna being found inside the elderly male that washed ashore.

Being a creature of legendary status, its counterpart icon is the Ho-oh species, just as rare, also surrounded in myth. It has long been assumed that the Pokémon have been opposing creatures, with the Lugia guarding the ocean and all its bounty, and the Ho-oh, the sky. Interesting, the scientists documented that indeed, the Lugia seems to prefer not only the water, but also the darkness if it chooses to fly. Its skin is easily dried out, and being that it has the ability to summon storms, it makes sense that it would prefer to keep its scale smooth skin moist whilst airborne. Its eyes are also more adapted to the darkness, being used to near pitch black under the ocean. This provides more fuel to the myth that these Pokémon are better kept away from each other, the resulting battle being devastating should it occur.

It terms of reproduction, Lugia appear to be asexual, genderless creatures that can become either male or female when and how they choose. The only reason this is assumed is because young have been observed with their parents. Playful and curious creatures, it is far more likely to view a young Lugia than an adult, whose intelligence warns them away from trainers.

Concerning their attacking power and intelligence, Lugia are psychic Pokémon, supposedly capable of telepathy, vast intellect and other abilities associated with others of its type. When travelling, trainers have noticed their own psychic Pokémon reacting to the ocean around them, as if being spoken too. Whilst this has yet to be proven or tested, it is an interesting thing to consider when concerning the Pokémons power. Along with this, the creatures unfathomable psychic abilities are combined with Aerial combat and other Pokémon abilities, such as the infamous Aeroblast. This attack has only been viewed a handful of times, but its power is known to be devastating. Trainers and civilians alike were evacuated from cianwood city in the late 1890’s when arc of golden lights were shown in the skies of the Whirl islands, followed by raging typhoons and hurricanes.

Considered to have near human intellect, or even more so, the Lugia is a restricted species, it is illegal to capture one, for fear that the natural order of the islands habitat would be under threat should one of these fantastically rare creatures go missing. Beautiful, elegant, profoundly mysterious, and with a whole nations mythology surrounding it, the Lugia is one of the natural worlds greatest evolutionary mysteries, and should be allowed to continue its existence in peace.